Folding shipping-crate.



0. E. STOUT.

FOLDING SHIPPING GRATE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23, 1908.

Patented Jan. 18,1910.

OTTO E. STOUT, OF OZARK, ILLINOIS.

FOLDING SHIPPING-CRATE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OTTO E. STOUT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ozark, in the county of Johnson and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Shipping-Crates; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in folding shipping crates, especially for eggs, and it is an object of the invention to provide a novel device of this character which will, when folded, occupy a minimum of space.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device of this character including novel means for holding the same in an operative position.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel device of this character which will be simple in construction, eflicient and advantageous in practice and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the details of construct-ion and in the novel arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more particularly referred to.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in the several views and in which,

Figure l is a sectional view illustrating the invention. Fig. 2 is a line on 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view partly in section illustrating the device folded, and, Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating a detail of the invention.

In the drawings, 1 denotes the side strips of the crate which intermesh with the strips 2 of the ends of the crate, said strips 1 also passing between the partition strips 3 located centrally of the side strips. The side strips 1 and the end strips 2 and partition strips 3 are pivotally connected by the vertical pivot pins 4. It is thought that owing to this simple arrangement it is apparent how the sides together with the partition may be folded into the flattened position shown in Fig. 3.

In order that these folded sides and ends Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 23, 1908.

Patented Jan. 18, 1910.

Serial No. 439,974.

may occupy a minimum of space when in a folded position, it has been found essential that the end strips be one-half the length of the side strips as by such an arrangement a bulging of the crate when folded is obviated.

Acting in conjunction with the ends and sides are the bottom strips 5 united at each end by the cross beam 6. The base strips 5 are of such length as to permit the cross beam 6 to contact with the outer face of the lower strip 2 of the ends. The base strips 4. are further provided with an intermediate cross beam 7 located directly under the lower partition strip 3. By this arrangement it is thought to be obvious that when the base strips are applied, the beams 6 and 7 will hold the side and end strips against movement on their pivot pins.

On the upper strips 2 of the ends rest the top strips 8 which also project beyond said strips and are united by cross beams 9 adapted to contact with the outer faces of the upper strips 2.

Any means may be employed for holding the top strips and base strips to the side strips but it has been found preferable to secure to the inner surface of certain of the strips of either the top strips 8 or bottom strips 9 the end portion of a wire 10 which is adapted to be bent downwardly and back through registering openings 11 and 12 in the side strips 2 and in the cross beams 9 or 6. It has also been found best to interpose be tween certain of the strips or both the top strips and bottom strips, a block 13 which further holds the side strips and end strips against movement on their pivot pins 4.

It is to be observed that the side strips of each of the top and bottom sections are longer than the remainder of the strips so that said side strips will project beyond the end strips. By this arrangement the projections of the strips 6 of the top and bottom side strips will catch on the projections of the top and bottom side strips excepting in one corner of the crate, this corner being secured by the strips 8 and the wire 10.

I claim:

A folding crate, comprising a bottom member and a top member, said bottom and top members having additional end strips arranged upon their inner surfaces, end members and side members, said end and side members each comprising spaced apart strips, and a partition member also comprising spaced apart strips, the strips of said side members being interposed between the strips of said end and partition members, said end members, partition members and side members being connected by pivot-rods passing therethrough, and adapted to allow the collapsing of said side, end and partition members in a vertical plane, said additional strips of the top and bottom members lapping strips of said end members, and fasteners of staple-like outline, one leg of each of 

